A temporary ban on the importation of restricted handguns is now in effect across the country. As of Friday August 19, permits for import-restricted handguns into Canada will no longer be issued to individuals or businesses, with few exceptions.

With stores unable to restock their shelves, these measures will slow the run on handguns until the national handgun freeze proposed in Bill C-21 comes into force.  Bill C-21, introduced by the Federal Government in May 2022, proposes several reforms to tackle gun violence in our communities.

The statistics in Canada are eye-opening. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of registered handguns in Canada increased by 71% reaching approximately 1.1 million and, in the same period, handguns were the most serious weapon present in the majority of firearm-related violent crimes across Canada (59%).

Law enforcement agencies seized more than double the number of firearms at our borders in 2021 compared to 2020.  In Windsor alone, 123 illegal handguns were seized coming into the country, up from 93 in 2020.

To counter this new trend, more than $312 million was earmarked in the 2021 budget for a number of gun safety measures including stronger border control protocols to fight gun smuggling and trafficking.

Firearms in Canada continue to be regulated by the Firearms Act and Part III of the Criminal Code. In addition to Bill C-21, there are several regulatory amendments under the Firearms Act that have been tabled and are expected to come into force in Fall 2022.

All Canadians deserve to feel safe where they live. It remains to be seen if these proposed changes will improve our statistics and our peace of mind.

Image by Jabba from Pixabay